The instant invention relates to ornaments of the type which are worn in the hair or on various articles of clothing and more particularly to a ruffled ornament for such applications and to a method of making the ornament.
The wearing of ruffled lace-like ornaments in the hair and on various articles of clothing has gained significant popularity in recent years. In this regard, it has been found that one type of ruffled ornament comprising a substantially circular, ruffled decorative element made of a flexible sheet material, such as a fabric, has become particularly popular with young girls and may be used for a wide variety of applications. Heretofore, the most common method of manufacturing an ornament of this type has been to first form a strip of sheet material into a tubular band. The band is then formed into a partially flattened, ruffled configuration by stitching it at a plurality of spaced points along one edge thereof, and turning and drawing the stitched edged portions of the band inwardly and together so that the band is formed into a substantially circular ornament having a reduced central aperture therethrough. Ornaments of this type have been effectively utilized for decorative purposes in a variety of applications, such as in barrettes and other articles to be worn in the hair. Further, heretofore, in many instances ornaments of this type have been secured on elements, such as barrettes and the like, by passing attaching means through the central apertures therein and frequently adhesives have also been utilized for permanently securing ornaments of this type on various types of elements.
Unfortunately, however, while ornaments of the abovedescribed type have found a high degree of popularity, heretofore they have been relativley expensive to manufacture. Specifically, it has been found that the manual stitching steps which have been required during the manufacture of ruffled ornaments of the above-described type in order to form them into and secure them in partially flattened, ruffled configurations have been highly time consuming, and hence they have significantly increased the costs of manufacturing ornaments of this type.
The instant invention provides a novel method of forming a ruffled ornament from a tubular band of flexible sheet material without the costly and time consuming stitching steps which have characterized the heretofore known methods for forming ornaments of this general type. In its broadest form, the method of the instant invention comprises a method of securing a decorative element of flexible sheet material in a partially flattened, ruffled configuration, wherein the decorative element is formed from a tubular band of sheet material which has been drawn and turned inwardly and together along one edge thereof to define a reduced central aperture in the decorative element. The broad form of the method comprises the step of assembling a grommet on the decorative element through the aperture therein so that the grommet clampingly engages the decorative element adjacent the aperture to secure it in a partially flattened, ruffled configuration. The instant invention also provides an effective method of forming a tubular band of flexible sheet material into a partially flattened, ruffled configuration, and for securing it in this configuration. This form of the method preferably comprises the steps of grasping a band of sheet material with a plurality of pairs of fingers at a plurality of spaced points adjacent one edge of the band and then turning the fingers inwardly and together to turn and draw the band inwardly and together to form a decorative element having a partially flattened, ruffled configuration and having a central aperture therethrough. After the decorative element has been formed in this manner, a grommet is assembled thereon so that it extends through the central aperture in the element and clampingly engages the element adjacent the aperture to secure it in the partially flattened, ruffled configuration, and finally the ornament is released from the fingers. Preferably, in both forms of the method, the portions of the decorative element which are adjacent the aperture are clamped between a pair of clamping members to retain the decorative element in a partially flattened, ruffled configuration before the grommet is assembled thereon. Preferably, one of the clamping members is of tubular configuration and the grommet is assembled on the decorative element through the center of the tubular clamping member in order to secure the decorative element in a partially flattened, ruffled configuration.
The instant invention also provides an effective ruffled ornament, which is preferably formed by the method of the instant invention. The ornament comprises a decorative element made from a tubular band of flexible sheet material, wherein one edge of the band has been turned inwardly and together to impart a partially flattened, ruffled configuration to the decorative element and to form a reduced central aperture therein, and a grommet which is assembled on the decorative element so that it extends through the aperture therein and clampingly engages the element adjacent the aperture to retain it in a partially flattened, ruffled configuration. The decorative element is particularly effective for use in a barrette construction comprising a barrette element, and securing means which extends through the grommet for securing the ornament on the barrette element.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a method of securing a decorative element of the above-described type in a partially flattened, ruffled configuration.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method of forming a decorative element into a partially flattened, ruffled configuration from an open tubular configuration and for securing the decorative element in the partially flattened, ruffled configuration.
A still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective ruffled ornament having a partially flattened configuration which can be effectively assembled with a barrette element for providing an ornamental barrette.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a partially flattened, ruffled ornament at a reduced cost.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.